Boone Health officials have begun a national search for what they call a “strategic partner” to help infuse more cash into the operation.
Boone Health CEO Brady Dubois said that due to an increase in demand for services and growth within the system, they’re starting to “stretch our limits” of what the system can offer.
He said from 2019 to 2025, their emergency room has seen a near 30% increase in patient load, but still has the same number of available beds – 16.
According to Dubois, the ER went from seeing an average of 2,200 patients per month in 2019 to an average of 3,300 patients per month this year.
“So, we need to expand our emergency room," Dubois said. “Hospital construction – good, bad or indifferent, is quite expensive, and as we look at where we need to go, we need to really double the size of [the ER].”
Dubois added that Boone Health has already made some changes to meet the growing demand, such as changing delivery care models to increase efficiency and expanding hours at convenient care locations.
Boone Health has been an independent health system since 2021 when it ended its 32-year relationship with BJC Healthcare.
Now, the system is reaching out to 16 health systems, which they have not named, to gauge interest in entering a partnership that could expand services – both at the Columbia hospital and throughout the 26 rural mid-Missouri counties in its service area.
“This is about how do we accelerate the growth that is already happening, and how do we best meet the needs of that growth to where folks will continue to have the ability to have Boone as their healthcare provider, and we can grow additional access points,” Dubois said.
Dubois said he expects the process to take about a year, and there is no guarantee the search will end with a new agreement. He said that even without a new partner, the system is in good financial shape and could expand – just at a slower pace.
He also added that while this search is for a partnership with a health system, the possibility of selling the system is not off the table.
“If it comes to that, that'll be a discussion between our Boone trustees and the county commissioners, and that'll be something that will be discussed at their level,” Dubois said. “What we are notifying folks of is an interest in a strategic partnership… and then we'll see from there how it progresses and if things change along the way.”
The next update on the search is expected in September.
